Methods for singulating a semiconductor wafer into a plurality of semiconductor devices include a method called plasma dicing. In this method, a plurality of mask layers are selectively formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate exposed from the plurality of mask layers is etched by dry etching, and the semiconductor substrate is singulated.
However, when the semiconductor device includes e.g. a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) or the like, and the semiconductor device has an upper electrode and a lower electrode, following subjects arise as examples.
For instance, a process for selectively removing the lower electrode on dicing lines before singulation of the semiconductor substrate is required when the lower electrode is formed on a rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate before singulation of the semiconductor substrate. Further, metal may come around to side walls of the singulated semiconductor devices and metal layers may be formed on the side walls when the lower electrode is formed on a rear surface side of the semiconductor substrate after singulation of the semiconductor substrate e.g. under a reduced-pressure atmosphere.